Family adviser.

If Your Child Wants To Come Home From Camp

July 18, 1999|By Jim Warda. Special to the Tribune.

Q--My daughter, who's away at camp, wrote that she's homesick. Do you have any ideas for how to help her adjust?

Miles Away Mom

A--There's no place like home. That's why Jeff Solomon, executive director of the National Camp Association (NCA), says that homesickness is to be expected. In fact, he adds that he'd be more concerned if this girl weren't homesick.

"When a child is homesick," Solomon explains, "parents should stay calm and not make immediate decisions. Doing so could deprive the child of the opportunity to adjust." And adjusting is what life's all about.

"Children need a chance to settle in, to allow the unfamiliar to become familiar," Solomon offers. "Usually it takes a week or two to fully acclimate. If, after that, the child is still homesick and the camp director, parents and staff feel no progress is being made, then a decision might be made to bring the child home."

It's also crucial for parents to not make deals with their children. "I wouldn't say, `If you're still not happy by the weekend, you can come home,' " Solomon advises. "That simply creates a self-fulfilling prophecy where the child knows he or she doesn't need to adjust."

Solomon also urges parents to choose an appropriate camp. "There's a right camp for every child, but not every camp is right for every child," Solomon explains.

In his article "Time Heals Homesickness for First Time Campers" at kidsgrowth.com, Dr. Bruce A. Epstein, director of medical marketing for the Pediatric Health Alliance, offers tips for helping a homesick child cope, including: